


Nightmare On Oak Street

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Alternate Universe, Drama, Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-05-10
Updated: 1999-05-10
Packaged: 2018-11-11 04:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11141226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Ray Vecchio tells Fraser about a Frank Zuko inspired nightmare. Set between "The Deal" and "Juliet Is Bleeding", Ray and Frank's "history" is slightly AU.  ORIGINALLY archived December 5, 1996.





	Nightmare On Oak Street

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

Nightmare On Oak Street

Happy Birthday, Robin!!! This one's for you... 

****************************** 

Author's Note: This story takes place sometime between The Duel and Juliet Is Bleeding 

Disclaimer: All characters, with the exception of the Giovanni's, are the property of Alliance Productions, Inc. 

**Rated: PG for implied violence and one swear word**

****************************** 

# NIGHTMARE ON OAK STREET

Detective Raymond Vecchio was sitting at his desk at the precinct, minding his own business, typing up a report. Across the room, Jack Huey and Louis Gardino were talking about the new desk sergeant. Well, actually, Gardino was talking about the sergeant. Huey was complaining about a loose thread on his new coat. Huey and Gardino got along fine together. Mainly because they were both jerks. Gardino was a bigger jerk than Huey, but, in a funny way, Ray liked them both. 

"I'm telling you, Jack, the new desk sergeant is a psycho," Gardino said. 

"Four hundred dollars, Louis. I paid four hundred dollars for this coat," Huey said, only half listening. 

"Did you know he refers to himself as 'we'? We like this, we like that. He pulled that crap on me this morning and I told: "Well, we feel you should shut up before we knock your head off your shoulders," Gardino said. 

"Maybe he's a scholar," Huey replied, brushing an imaginary speck of dust from his coat. "Some scholars do refer to themselves as 'we'." 

"Like they're two people" Gardino said, and turned to look at Ray. "You listening to this, Vecchio?" he asked. 

"Not a word, Gardino," Ray said. 

"You ought to," Gardino said. "You might learn a few things about this new desk sergeant we got." 

"The only thing I'm going to learn from you guys is how to quack," Ray replied. 

"Ray, Ray, Ray," Benton Fraser said in an admonishing tone as he took a seat next to Ray's desk. 

Ray opened his mouth to argue with Fraser when the telephone rang. 

"Detective Vecchio," he said. He listened for a moment, raised his eyebrows in surprise, said, "I'll be there in a minute," and put then put the receiver back on the cradle. He ran a hand through his thinning hair. 

"Ray?" Fraser asked. 

"That was the desk sergeant," Ray said. "Tina Giovanni is here. She wants to talk to me." 

"Have I met Tina Giovanni?" Fraser asked. 

"No. When I was in high school, her brother, Tony, and I were pretty good friends. One morning..." Ray broke off. He shot a glance at the Duck Boys and said, "Could we go somewhere a little more private?" 

Fraser thought for a moment, then said. "I know just the place. Come with me." 

Ray followed Fraser out the door and down the hall. He stopped when Fraser opened the closet door. "Oh, no! No way! I am not getting into that closet with you again! People are starting to talk!" 

"Ray," Fraser said, sternly. 

"Okay! All right!" Ray said, stepping into the closet. "Fine!" 

Fraser followed Ray into the closet and closed the door. "You were saying?" 

"One morning I was on my way to school..." 

* * * 

Ray hated high school. He hated english and science and gym, but most of all, he hated math class. Especially those stupid word problems. Who cared how long it would take for two runaway trains headed in opposite directions, on the same track, to meet up with each other? 

"Yeah, right," Ray said aloud, digging a jelly donut out of the bag he was carrying and taking a bite. "Like I'll ever need to know. There's about as much chance of that as there is of me going bald." 

This morning Ray walked to school with a slow gait, so slow that he was almost walking backwards. Sister Mary Margaret was giving a test and Ray just knew he was going to fail it. Ma would be disappointed again and Pop...well, Pop would just go down to Finelli's and shoot another game of pool. He'd probably have a few beers and pass out in the living room floor again and it would be all Ma's fault because *she* didn't raise Ray properly. He'd heard that argument so many times he could recite it in his sleep. 

Suddenly, Ray remembered he had promised to stop by the Giovanni house and walk the rest of the way to school with Tony. Tony was the closest thing to a best friend that Ray had since Marco Metrani's family moved away. If Frank Zuko hadn't pounded Marco's face in with a basketball the Metrani's would still be here. 

Ray stuffed the rest of the donut in his mouth as he turned right at Oak Street and headed for Tony's house. Not much farther now, just six houses down. His mind wandered back to Frank. He hated Frank even more than he hated math. Partly because Frank had this annoying habit of calling him "Porky". Plus, Frank was the school bully and just plain mean. Except that most of the time, Frank had someone else do the pounding. Which, in Ray's mind, made Frank a coward. 

"Oh, and I'm *not*," Ray said. "I stood right there and watched him make hamburger out of Marco's face. I'd call that pretty cowardly." 

"So would I," said a jeering voice behind him. 

"Shut up, Frank," Ray said, without turning around. "Nobody asked you." 

"What's the matter, Porky?" Frank asked. "Afraid to turn around and look me in the eye? You, coward." 

"Takes one to know one, Frank," Ray said. 

"Hey, Porky...your mother wears army boots," Frank said, taunting. 

"Yeah, well, that's better than wearing stolen jewelry," Ray replied. "Bug off, Frankie, I've got to pick up Tony." 

"Oh, I don't think he'll be coming to school today," Frank said with a nasty laugh. "Today...or any other day." 

Ray stopped dead in his tracks. His stomach flip-flopped and the donuts he'd been eating threatened to come back up. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath before turning around. "Wha...what makes you say that, Frank?" 

"Just a feeling," Frank replied with a smirk. "His dad welshed on a loan he had with my father. Gotta go, Vecchio. See you in class." He flipped Ray an insolent wave then turned and sauntered off. 

Ray slowly turned and started toward Tony's house, dragging his feet as he went. He was only two houses away and could see the red fence that surrounded the yard, its pickets standing at attention like the Mountie that guarded the Canadian Consulate in town. Ray stopped as he reached the little gate. It was quiet. Way too quiet for the Giovanni's. Tony's twin sister, Tina, could yell louder than Frannie. 

Filled with a sudden dread, Ray wished the Mountie could be here with him. He wasn't exactly sure why. He just had a hunch that something bad...really bad...had happened to the Giovanni's. Nobody double-crossed Frank Zuko, Senior and got away with it. Everybody in the neighborhood knew you didn't mess with The Family. 

He pushed open the gate and moved cautiously up the flagstone path to the front door. Ray knocked on the door and stepped back to wait for Tony. A minute went by, then several more and no one answered the door. 

Ray knocked again, louder this time. He was starting to get impatient, if Tony didn't hurry up they were going to be late. He stepped over to the double windows and peered inside, trying to see through the lacy blue curtains. It looked as if Mr. Giovanni was laying on the floor in the living room. 

"Probably had one too many beers with Pop last night," Ray said. Then he noticed the living room walls were splattered with red paint. He moved over a little to get a better look. "Now, that's odd. They just painted the living room blue last week. So why is everything covered with...Oh, my...Noooo!" 

* * * 

"They were all dead," Ray said, angrily, contemplating his shoes. "Shot once through the head with a .357 Magnum. All, but Tina, that is. She'd gone to spend the night with one of her friends. The son-of- a-bitch even killed her cat. Just because their father couldn't pay back a lousy fifty dollar loan!" 

He lapsed into silence and Fraser sat patiently, knowing his friend would continue once he got his temper under control. 

"Twenty-five years, Benny. Twenty-five years and it still gives me nightmares. You know the worst part? No one could prove Frank's father was the one that pulled the trigger," Ray said, shaking his head. "That's why I became a cop. So I could put scum like the Zuko's in jail where they belong." 

"You made the right decision, Ray," Fraser said, quietly. "You're a good cop." 

"You think so?" Ray asked, looking up at Fraser. 

"Absolutely, Ray," Fraser replied, without hesitation. 

Ray smiled, gratefully. One of the reasons he cared about Fraser so much was that he always knew how to make Ray feel better. "Thanks, Benny." 

Fraser opened the closet door. "We really shouldn't keep the lady waiting, Ray." 

"Oh, I don't think you want to come along, Benny," Ray said. 

"Why is that, Ray?" Fraser asked. 

"Because Tina is a lot like Frannie. She'll be all over you in a heartbeat," Ray replied. 

"Oh! Oh, dear..." Fraser said. "I think I'll just..." 

"Good idea," Ray said, grinning broadly at Fraser's retreating back. "See you later!" 

************************* 

Tuktoya later! 

Stephany 

sasmith@surfer.pcsonline.com 

* * *


End file.
